Chamber and committees

Petitioner submission of 23 February

PE1871/J - Full review of mental health services

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care for the submission and condolence. I would like to address a few points that have been raised. Although the outline of additional funding is welcomed, I would like to stress the importance on how the funding gets used. Which is why I feel a review is necessary to determine which areas are failing and need restructured. I strongly believe a specialist crisis centre for mental health is needed to help people in crisis. This would allow them to be assessed without having to go through an accident and emergency.

When Luke was in crisis, I had a hard time keeping him safe. We sat in an A&E waiting room as Luke was so unwell, we felt everyone around him was against him. This is not the right environment and needs to be addressed. I did not feel listened to as a family member. I was begging them to help me, and they told me he was ok. He was not ok. I knew Luke best, but my option was not considered. Luke was not given medication or admitted, simply turned away and we felt abandoned. We had no help or support. Luke went on to take his own life.

Something is wrong with the system. Covid-19 has just made the mental health service worse, but it was not much better before Covid. Our local health board is NHS Lanarkshire. In my previous submission I highlighted statistics from HNS Lanarkshire since 20018 pre-covid and during Covid. However, Lanarkshire was piloting the distress brief intervention (DBI) at the time of Luke death. This suggests that it is not working and the only way to determine that is to review all services. Luke’s case sadly is not isolated and so many families feel the same. Both in Lanarkshire and throughout Scotland. We want to see change and do not believe the Government is doing enough for mental health. Luke sadly is no longer here; I feel it is my right as his partner to fight for him. To ensure that no other family must feel this pain if I can prevent it. If carried out, a review can make service better and save lives. Luke will not have died in vain.

I would like to plead with the committee to call for evidence from others. Ask members of the public who have lost loved ones or who are struggling to get mental health support. Ask the mental health front line staff if what is written on paper is happening on the frontline. Staff are over worked as there is not enough trained staff. Ask Police Scotland Officers if they feel they have enough training to deal with a mental health crisis.

Lastly, suicide prevention is very important. Learning health coping strategies from a young age will give youth a tool to use throughout their lives. Though education we can learn it's ok not to be ok. That it is safe to talk about your feelings. It is important to teach our youth a way to deal with stress in life.